Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-10-14

give my wife position which would
seem desirable in English eyes; | enter
tanned some extravagant notions about
the now life at the hall and the
new Lady Favisham whom l would
introduce to my people. The most
dazzling beauty on the walls
of the old picture gallery would, felt,
pale beside the charms of the last Lady
Harcourt countess of Favisham.
"Yet, how shall | describe my first
meeting with her? l heard her light foot
in the corridor, and the rustic of her
silllen gown. The morning sunshine
flooded the room, the odor of roses from
their tall green vases for a moment
turned me faint. Was it a fancy that
the old musty incense of the jungle where
the boa lies cooled entered the room with
her, emitted by her white garments?
"She glided toward me, scarcely max
ing a sound, and my senses seemed
bound by spell.
There were no forbidding airs of
hauteur. She coiled her arms about me,
and slid her dusky check along until it
lay against mine: yet it was cool!
Il was very nearly overcome when my
aunt entered the room, bringing a cur
rent Of fresh air with her. is she not
lovely, your little Indian savagc?' point
ing to ZObeide, who seemed to drift-not
wallS---over the floor to the piano, from
which she evoked such quaint minor
chords that | begged her to come and
talk to me instead of playing.
From that hour my soul passed out
of my body to the keeping of this girl
Ia,
as a child. When weared Of my cravings
for her kisses and caresses, she would
shut herself up for hours in her own
apartments, or would gallop away over
the downs on her black horse Selim, an
Arabian had given her.
1--WE had married IN London one day,
and began life in an irregular unEnglish
way, as my aunt had said. But we were
always together If we gave no balls,
that was IA mere matter of taste. / had
once had passion for such diversions,
but it had died in me. as had most pas
sions except for my child wife, Zobeide
seemed to revel in the county ball at first,
and to gloat on the homage and admira-
ton she received. But very soon she
tired of that sort of thing, and even of
!
rooms the library and the picture gallery,
the lakes, the swans, and the elm shaded
avenues, with snowy statues cleaning
ghostly in the moonlight.
''She had wearied of the homage of
men. and the envious amazement of
women awe struck by her beauty, long
ago. She locked herself up more often
in her own wing, and always laughingly
refused to admit me. l cannot see why
did not marvel at this, but this was no
more strange than that l gave up hunt
ing, which had been passionate fancy of
mine before. My aunt had laid her hand
on my brow, saying
"'How changed you are, Henry!
''Nonsense!' had replied. 1T is you
who are altered. Where is Zobeide?'
Always that question: she muir
INJURED, in tone of distress.
"Once she pulled me into her own
chamber, saying, in way calculated to
startlc me-but it did not
My dear boy l want to speak to
you. must speak now with you. Why
do you allow Lady Favsham to amuse
herself daily with brood of detestable
snakes?
docs she?' asked, listlessly. MY
good soul, why should | interfere if the
child really does amuse herself? Don't
worry about Zobeide, dear; don't!'
d" No poor boy! l wish you did.
"Strange. l passed this conversation
off as if it had related TO the fiannels OF
the rheumatic tenants. Yet ordinarily
= should have been paralyzed with horror
at the idea of my wife juggling with
snakes. 1t sets my teeth on edge now
only TO think of it, and it would have
made my hair stand on end had | beer
in my right mind.
81 was insane all that horrible summer
when a snake charIner ruled at Fayishan
Hall, the seat of loyal and hot bloode(
race. of which l was the last and leas
worthy.
yet any one who knew Lady Har
court at that time would not have won
dered at her autocracy. | am sure. Ever
the servants were tinctured with tn
poisonous atmosphere, and only my aunt
who constantly went abroad, was able t.
shake off the leaden pail which had settle,
down upon us at the Hall.
, ''Suddenly, in obedience to the wishe
of my physician, made ready to rul
over to my shooting box in Scotland.
was stubbornly firm about taking m
: wife with me, although she demurre
: and even wept when presented the tou
: to her. carried my point, and we wer
: away just ten days.
5 Lady Harcourt stipulated that he
: wing of the Hall was to remain undis
D turbed during her absence. But she ex
pected fully to be back within a week
S My aunt had gone to Rugby.
Il will try to describe our comm
r home as intelligently as possible.
IL had noticed with wonderful elauio
S that my head was clear and my whol
s mind more coherent during our absenc,
as if some terrible influence had bee
y wanting to sway and blacken my life.
S "On the contrary, my wife, althoug
e SO young and lovely, with all the worl
r to fall at her feet, seemed strangely i'll {
l ease during our trip, and grew SO nervor
!. nearing home that she actually leape